Thanksgiving 2011

Fresh Baked Apple Pie

served this weekend at

Bernadine's Stillman Inn! 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! 

Hope your Thanksgiving Holiday was GREAT!

A special Thanks to all of you who have stayed with us!  We look forward to seeing you next year!  

We are especially thankful this year for our two granddaughters, Cara and Liliana!

They keep us moving and laughing all the time!

Stop in and see us this winter. Returning guests receive a 10% discount and we always have great midweek deals during this time!

Blog Special

Mention you read this blog and receive a complimentary bottle of champagne with your two night midweek stay!

Bernadine and her Mom are back from their "Tampa Tour of Tea Rooms" vacation!

They had a great time and brought home lots of ideas!

2012

We will be adding:

Wine in the Parlor  (every evening)

Afternoon Teas on Saturdays and by special request from our guests during your stay

(24 hour notice needed)

Fall 2011 - It's here at the Stillman Inn located in Beautiful Galena, IL

There is just no denying it, we are into Fall and it is beautiful here!  Fall Festivals are beginning, we just had a civil war encampment event here down our hill and I'm taking what will most likely be the last pictures of this years gardens.  All that work....!

We've just spotted our second set of baby squirrels for the Spring/Summer.  They are just too cute and cause quite a bit of mischief around...not as bad as racoons though.  We've taken the bird feeders down and set them on the ground since the squirrels end up getting everything anyway.  Fun to watch our granddaughter try to say squirrel at 2 years old!

We'll start making pumpkin and apple pies, cheesecake, hot apple cider and by the way, a lot more people are have a smores fire these days here at the inn!  Yummy!

 I love the random sunflowers that come up around the garden, particularly under the bird feeder.  It's just a pleasant surprise that I didn't have to plant!

Once the sedum blooms you know it's time to get your warm clothes out!

Galena IL has two to three civil war encampments a year.  There was one this weekend across from Grant's home.  You can see it from the Inn.  As a matter of fact, I can hear the cannons going off right now. 

Civil war encampments are a great thing for families to do.  We used to go to them and was I happy when the guys told my son he couldn't use his phone or any other electronics while there.  He loved it.  He was usually a water boy during battle.

 They regularly go through formations that were typical in the civil war encampments.  Guests love to go down and ask questions, see how they make their food, look at antique artifacts from the time like uniforms, guns, old kettles, saddles, etc.

This is always my favorite.  When they set up the little log cabin as it would have been in the 1800's.  This particular weekend it was Set up especially nice with lots of knitting, quilts and sewing gadgets.  I love the simpler arts.  I won't say simpler life because it most certainly was  not simple or air conditioned for that matter!  There are a lot of artists in Galena that like to work with their hands especially in the area of fibers, mending and sewing, knitting, rug making...When I work on my projects I like to think what it would have been like for women in those days.  It's kind of a touch stone for me like doing a family tree is to others.

 By brother-in-law Donn is going to like this pic!

I had the rare opportunity of being able to leave the inn for a walk Saturday.  I sat in Grant Park trying to finish up a knitted scarf when the train came by.  Next to the train tack is a bike path.  Lots of people riding bikes!  And next to that is the Galena River.  I was able to watch several canoes and kayaks go by.  What a perfect day!

Then I walked to the farmers market.  Tried to find "Pink Lady" apples.  I've been trying to find them for pies because the description of them is so luscious.  I understand they are an Heirloom apple and hard to come by.  If you see any, send one this way!

Have a great Fall and stop on in!  The colors are going to be spectacular in the next couple of weeks.  Next weekend is Oktoberfest complete with wiener dog races and then the following weekend is our busiest weekend - Country Fair Weekend. 

Mention this Fall 2011 blog and receive a complimentary bottle of wine with your two night stay!

Bernadine & Dave

Ahhh, September 2011

Like everyone else, we here at Bernadine's Stillman Inn in Galena Illinois, we are wondering where Summer went.  We actually like the cooler evenings.  Great for having a fire with the guests and making Smores! 

Mom was here this week helping me make more Strawberry Jam and Truffles.  We have added the molded chocolates to our "Gift Armoire". 

Just made Brownies and a Strawberry Pie for this weekends guests.  Hope they love it!

Picked what will probably be the last of the tomatoes, green beans and green onions this year.

Also pictured here is some Pasta from Galena's new Pasta Store downtown.  They have everything, even Chocolate Pasta.

Mom and I picked up the "Spinach Basil Garlic Fettuccine".  It's a beautiful color and apparently all we have to do is add a little bit of oil or pesto to it for a great taste. 

I also liked the pasta shaped like sombreros.  You cook them and fill them up as an appetizer.  Check it out next time you are in Galena!

Come See Us Soon!  815 777-0557
Dave & Bernadine

Lavender Frosted Cake

Need a quick and beautiful cake for an event?  Here's an idea our guests love.

Lavender Frosted Cake
Simply make two 8" round white cakes from a box mix (I know, but it is quicker)
Level them before stacking (important thing to do and you can find a leveler anywhere they have cake making supplies.  I bought mine at Hobby Lobby)
Make your favorite frosting and add 2 teaspoons Lavender Extract (We get our extracts at www.kingarthurflour.com)
And add a touch of purple food coloring and mix well
Spread between layers and just on the top of the cake
Sprinkle with sparkly sprinkles and there you have it!

 This weekend our guests will be delighting in our fabulous disappearing oatmeal cookies and a Pineapple upside down cake!

Plan your next visit to Bernadine's Stillman Inn in hitoric Galena and mention this Lavender Frosted Cake and receive a complimentary bottle of wine with your two night stay!

Have a great Labor Day Weekend!

The Grand Romance Room

This Weekend

Guests enjoyed Fudge and a white cake with Laender Frosting this weekend. 

Lavender Frosting:
Simply make your favorite buttercream frosting recipe and add to it 2 teaspoons Lavender Extract and violet food coloring.  After frosting the cake, sprinkle with decorative sprinkles and a pinch of lavendar. 

Lavender Extract purchased at http://www.kingarthurflour.com/

Other than Almond or vanilla extract, you never hear about all of the other flavors available like orange, blueberry, banana, lavender.  Check out King Arthur and be prepared to experiment.  I've learned a little bit goes far in flavor, just like vanilla. 

The Gardens are beautiful this year.  All the hard work has paid off.  This is our Zinnia bed and our granddaughter Cara, now 20 months old.  She just loves following me around the gardens, watering and picking flowers apart. 

We've been collecting rain water in a regular plastic garbage can.  Does she love to put her little watering can in there and fill it up.  Most of it ends up on her and not the plants but at this point that's okay!  She is charming.

LAVENDER FROSTING:  This weekend I made the guests chocolate fudge with walnuts AND a double layer white cake with Lavender Frosting!  Yummy.  All you need to do is add 2 teaspoons Lavender Extract  to your favorite frosting along with a bit of lavender food coloring.  Sprinkle on some pretty sparkles and edible lavender and you are all set!  http://www.kingarthurflour.com/ for the extract and lavender. 

We planted our own lavender this year.  Thinking of having some garden tours next year.  What do you think about that?

Thank you to all of our guests for staying with us!

2011 Flood

A couple of weeks ago we had heavy rains for about 12 hours.  Galena received 20" of rain in this amount of time.  The Stillman Inn faired well with just a bit of water in the restaurant and in the cellar.  No complaints here.

Some downtown restaurants were flooded with up to 6' of water in their kitchens.  Guests parked in the lower level of the parking lot at the Desoto Hotel found their cars covered in water.  The water did not come from the river.  It was all run off water that caused the damage. 

The flood gates were closed to downtown and as you can see a couple of the houses entering Main street ended up with water filled garages.  It was quite exiciting for about a day.  The waters receeded quickly. 

East Dubuque was hit the hardest.  You can drive around and see the repaired roads that were washed out and railroad tracks.  What a mess!

Corn Relish

This just in...Mom is in town for a visit - Yay!

Carol and Bernadine have been busy making and preserving "Corn Relish" and it is fabulous.  Next they're making a strawberry pie for the weekend AND fudge!

More flooding on the Galena River.  We had 14" of rain in the past 24 hours and the river has swelled further than we have seen in the 11 years we've been here.  Photo ops everywhere!  Pictures coming soon!

Did you know that "relish" is the French word for "salsa" which translates to "sauce".  That was free!

These are some of the flowers from the Stillman Inn Gardens.  Teddy Bear Sunflower and Zinnia's.  They are really beautiful - come see!

815 777-0557     Dave & Berandine

Liliana Reyes Anderson

Well, she is finally here....

Introducing our newest granddaughter "Liliana Rae", excuse me that would be "Princess Liliana Rae"!  Born 7/14/11  at  7lbs14oz, isn't that cool!

Thank you to all of our guests who so graciously accommodated our weird schedule during this time.  We may have been late for a couple of check-ins but we never missed a breakfast!

To Celebrate her arrival we made Oatmeal Cookies!  Enjoy!

Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup margarine, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup raisins (or use butterscotch or chocolate chips instead)
1 cup black walnuts, coarsely ground or pecans
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
3 cups rolled oats

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Beat margarine and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Combine flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Sift and add to the egg mixture above. Stir well
Grind the raisins up with 1 tsp of sugar until they are small pieces. Stir in oats, nuts, raising and mix well, drop by tablespoonful onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 10-12 minutes or until light brown. Cool and remove to wire rack.
When cool, store in airtight container!

White Peach Lavender Jam

We here at the Stillman Inn have mastered "White Peach Leavender Jam".  We put this on everything from toast to pancakes and oatmeal.  We've also discovered the huge and great Farmers Market in Dubuque on Saturday Mornings.  Lots of great produce, flowers and crafts but nothing can beat the Amish made Pumpkin Bread.

We also dabbled in fudge again this weekend for the guests.  It was gone in no time!

White Peach Lavender Jam
2 Tbsp Dried lavender flowers or lavender extract
1/2 cup boiling water
4 cups fine chopped white peaches (8-9 medium)
2 Tbsp Lemon juice
6  cups granulated sugar
1 Pack liquid fruit pectin

• Place lavendar flowers in a small bowl.  Pour boiling water over flowers and steep 20 minutes. Strain and discard flowers.  OR use 1 tsp lavender extract in 1/2 cup water.
• Combine lavender water, peaches, lemon juice and sugar in very large stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Bring to a full boil over high heat and boil hard for 2 minutes.  Stir in liquid pectin and boil 1 more minute. Remove from heat, skim off foam.
• Ladle into prepared jars and process for 10 minutes. 
• Prepared jars means they have been boiled/sterilized.  Check out a book on canning for details.

More great news - our second granddaughter is due tomorrow so she will be with us soon.  Hopefully we will be free to both be there.  If it's in the morning we plan on sending our guests to Otto's for breakfast!  Hope they don't mind!

Enjoyed two great Garden Tours this weekend.  Saturday was in Galena and Sunday was in Dubuque.  Both were fabulous.  If you have a GPS it's even more fun!!!  Don't miss it next year.  Sunday night we enjoyed the Drum & Bugle Corps Competition in Dubuque as well.  What a busy weekend!

Two July Specials:

•   Purchase a 1/2 pint of White Peach Lavender Jam and receive a complimentary hand knit cotton dish cloth
•   Stay three midweek nights at regular price and receive a bottle of wine for each night you stay!

Neither of these specials can be combined with any other special we may have going on!

Fall is coming so make your reservations soon.  This is our busiest time so if you want to stay and in a specific room you can't book too soon  now!  The colors are wonderful around here and the big Craft Fair is the second weekend in October.  This, and all weekends in October require a three night stay.  I'm tellin' you it's busy and fun!

Bernadine & Dave

It's Time For Dessert

 We have done so many new projects this Spring!

Look...freshly painted benches!

We have a new "Garden Loom" guests can be creative with.  Go for a walk, bring back some special finds and weave them in!

A Cloth Cabana will be going up between the Inn and Wedding Chapel! This is going to be great!

And we have three bird feeding stations on the property.  Just spotted a Baltimore Oriole the other day!  Lots of yellow finches too!  And don't forget the cardinals.

 The Square Foot Gardens are Fabulous.  Well, let's say one of them is doing really well.  The second one, my new baby squirrels are chewing all up.  I wonder why they are choosing just that box.  Anyway, they are cute as the dickens so it's okay.  I just keep replanting!

The Guests enjoyed the following last week:

Homemade Strawberry Jam
Homemade Fudge
and Homemade Lavender Infused Pound Cake

Oh my...I'm so glad they ate as much as they did or I would have eaten it all up myself!

Thinking this week will be Angel Food Cake with mixed fruit topping and perhaps some individual Fritattas for breakfast....yum!

Come join us at the Fabulous, Romantic and Historic Stillman Inn located across from General Grant's home and three blocks from Main Street.  The gardens are the best they've ever been, downtwon shopping is great and the Weddings here at the Galena Wedding Chapel are divine!  Just had an outdoor wedding in the front courtyards.  Simply beautiful.

Strawberry Anyone?

Bernadine's Stillman Inn - Best Bed and Breakfast in Galena!

 

We asked a recent guest how he choose the Stillman Inn. He said he googled "Best Bed and Breakfast in Galena" and we came up! Awesome!

This weekend I canned fresh Strawberries and made a Strawberry pie for everyone to enjoy. It was eaten up immediately. We also had fresh baked apple/cream cheese strudels. They were fabulous.

Guests love our "love cakes" (heart shaped pancakes) so I made these individual strudels in the shape of hearts. Wala..."love strudels".


New addition to our gift shop is "Bernadine's Homemade Strawberry Jam".

Last week we served Chocolate Chip Cupcakes. Yummy.

Come and stay with us and enjoy the deserts. The pie was topped off with a clipping of mint from our new Kitchen Garden. Now that some wild animal has stopped nibbling at things everything is growing nicely! Come check it out! All sorts of fun things to see and smell in our garden. Ask for the tour!

Bring your friends and family and stay at the beautiful, romantic and historic Stillman Inn. Located across from Grant's home. Beautiful walk to main street. "Best Breakfast" and Best Innkeeper" awards.

Gardens - Spring 2011

Okay, so it doesn't seem like much right now but just wait!  This is the beginnings of our new "Kitchen Garden".  Located on the lower level courtyard where only guests are allowed to go!  We're using the Square Foot Garden method to create this soon to be delicious and good for you garden. 

We will be using some of the harvest in our Breakfast Quiche!

Also New This Year is our "Garden Loom" presented here alongside "Mom"!  We had fun putting this together.  We saw a garden loom in "Backyard Crafts" magazine and decided we needed one.  Guests are welcome to take the whole thing apart and weave their own magic or just add to what is there.  For a quick fix we collected things from the park and just stuck them in for starters!  This is going to be fun!

There are knew statues hidden among the gardens for you to come and find.  This little guy is sitting in front of a plant that is grown widely in Galena.  I need to find the name of it but it is great for rock gardens and spreads like crazy keeping the weeds down in areas where needed.  It is a brilliant yellow in Spring - now- and then it's just a cute tufted plant through the summer.  We will be gathering the seeds and packaging them up for guests who are interested in taking some home!  Just ask for it!

And this is what I'm talking about when I say it grows easily out of the brick walls around town.  Nice! 

Let Us Not Forget the Birds! We are planning three bird feeding areas in the gardens this year.  Sit on the porch and relax with a glass of wine or a cool iced tea while enjoying our feathered friends coming and going.  Spotted a Baltimore Oriole a week ago.  I understand they enjoy fruit so I'm trying to figure out how to make that happen for them! 

So, Come visit the Stillman Inn in picturesque Galena IL.  We specialize in romantic getaways and will help you plan the perfect vacation.  Visit museums, art shops, walk the levee or bike the bike path.  How about a scooter ride out to the local winery or a hot air balloon ride? 

We can make it happen!

815 777-0557

 

What's Baking At The Stillman Inn - Galena, IL

Best Bed and Breakfast Lavender Cookies!  

These cookies are good any time, any where but they are especially scrumptious with a hot cup of tea and conversation with a friend!

Lavender Cookies
Ingredients:
5/8 cup butter room temp
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg room temp
1 TBLS Lavender flowers from your garden or on line 
1/12 cups all purpose flour
Optional Frosting: Mix a bit of water with some powdered sugar, sprinkle with sprinkles or lavender if you'd like.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets
2. Cream together the butter and sugar. Beat the egg and blend into the butter and sugar. Mix in the laavender flowers and the flour. Roll some dough in your hand and flattend slightly. Place on cookie sheet
3. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Remove cookies to a cooling rack. When cool, pour a bit of powdered sugar mix on each one and top off with sprinkles, decorative sugar and/or lavender flowers if desired

Enjoy!  These are just great!

Will You Marry Me?!

Many people get engaged at the Stillman Inn.  It is just the most exciting thing to hear about at breakfast!   This brave couple, however, invited Dave to capture some photos of "the ask".  What a delight they were!  Enjoy the pics! 

Bernadine's Stillman Inn - not only the perfect romantic and historic spot to get engaged in Galena Il but we also have a beautiful Wedding Chapel to seal the deal!

http://www.galenaweddingchapel.com/ 

Mississippi River Bald Eagle Watch

The population of Bald Eagles has grown quite a bit since we first moved to Galena in 2000. 

These lovely birds are easy to spot along the Mississippi river especially in the winter when the farm fileds are covered with snow.  They are generally near the lock and dam just waiting for a good catch for the day.

Right now there is a family of Bald Eagles being webcamed in Decorah Iowa which is a short distance from the Stillman Inn.  But...due to modern technology you can watch Mom, Dad and two babes 24/7 at this location:
http://www.raptorresource.org/falcon_cams/

So, check it out on the web and then come visit us!  If you stay in Winter you can join any number of Eagle tours available nearby and see them souring above you.


Bernadine's Stillman Inn
A Beautiful, Historic and Romantic 1858 Bed and Breakfast Mansion located across from General Grant's home and a few blocks from downtown Galena.  815 777-0557

Seedlings and Soap

Well, we have some seedlings started for the gardens and who can garden without a soap holder at the faucet? 

Things slow down a little in the winter which gave me time to whip up some soap holders for the faucets at the Stillman Inn.  Hopefully this will help when I'm gardening and someone walks up for a tour.  I'll be able to shake your hand with clean hands!

I know, these beautiful bags will get dirty, but it's just extra yarn laying around and it was awful quick to make.  I put in a bar of melt and pour soap from our gift shop.  I think this will work nicely.

So, consider staying this Spring, Summer and Fall to monitor the gardens and help keep me focused! 

Blog Special:  mention "Seedlings and Soap" and receive a complimentary bar of melt and pour soap made by the lily white hands of Bernadine!

Gardening

A Kitchen Garden - that's right!  Going by the suggestions of Mel Bartholomew and his book 'All New Square Foot Gardening' we will be installing a kitchen garden this year.  Can't wait to show you around it! 

Enjoy these images from past gardens here at the Stillman Inn.

Happy Birthday Dave!

Yes It Is True...on March 17th, 2011

Dave will be 65 years old! 

"Happy Birthday My Sweetheart"

Dave has the Dick Clark thing going on and no one ever believes him when he shares his age.

He is a terrific husband, friend, father, carpenter, innkeeper, Christian, my goodness I could just go on and on about him.

Dave has been successful at many things in his life.  He's a hard working and dedicated man.  Right now I think his favorite thing is being a Grandpa, "Big Daddy" to Cara Isabella.  And we have another granddaughter on the way!  One of the things he truly enjoys doing is running the Stillman Inn.  If you know Dave, you know he just loves, loves, loves people.  His standard greeting is "Hi, I'm Dave, you'll like me, I'm a nice guy" and nothing could be more true. We have met so many interesting and wonderful people and made so many new friends here at the Inn over the past ten years.

Retirement:  Yes, it's inevitable.  One day I must have Dave all to myself.  At some point he must agree to retire but I know he will never leave the inn unless someone else replaces him who is just as genuine as he is.  This he would do to honor our repeat guests.  We are going to start thinking about selling the place over the next few years.  If you know of anyone who is worthy of and interested in taking over the baton, please let us know! 


"Where will Dave go" you ask?  No problem.  We plan on staying in Galena near our grandchildren.  The new innkeepers, whoever they end up being, will have our contact information so please, give us a shout and we will be happy to lunch with you! Mind you, we've only just started thinking about it, we aren't going anywhere yet so come see Dave for his Birthday year long celebration! 

Proud Wife of Dave Anderson,

Bernadine

Happy Birthday Dave Blog Special:  Two night midweek stay in any of our lovely rooms, mention this blog and get a pineapple upside mini cake during your stay.  Dave's favorite! Good now through March 17th, 2011

Gifts from Guests

Not too often but from time to time a guest will bring us a gift.  Sometimes it's a gift for our granddaughter.  What sweet people to do such a thing.  It's not expected and it is a lovely surprise when it happens reminding us of how blessed we are to be in this business!

                                          Thank You Dear Guests!

Last weekend we received a couple of really welcome gifts.  A couple from Chicago talked with Dave on the phone long enough to know how we love the Greek lemon soup from Greek town.  Wish I knew the proper name for it.  And if you know Dave, you know how easy he is to get to know before you ever get here so this wouldn't surprise you!

To our surprise they checked in on Friday with two take-out orders of soup.  Oh how we enjoyed that.  It was like being in Chicago and brought back sooooo many great memories.  Like the first time we met our son.  He was 5 weeks premature and in the hospital.  We were to adopt him so we went to meet him right away.  Afterwards we celebrated in Greek town with our daughter and of course had our favorite soup and flaming cheese!

Saturday we had some new friends stop in with their charming family.  They presented us with a lovely and delicious pineapple.   

I quickly pulled out one of my favorite books "The Gentle Art of Domesticity" by Jane Brocket.  In it she writes about her first experience with being gifted with this lovely jewel of a fruit.  Not only does she discuss the symbolism of "hospitality" that it carries with it but she also discusses it as an art form and how we see it in crochet, prints on fabric, carved on furniture, in architecture, etc.  Interesting. 

On the web I found this description "The princess of fruits and the symbol of hospitality".  I like that. 



Dave loves, loves, loves, Pineapple Upside Down Cake and I make it for him every March 17th for his birthday as any smart wife would! Please enjoy this recipe.  I bake ours in a round cast iron skillet!    

  Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

• 1/4 cup margarine or butter
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 can (16 ounces) sliced pineapple, drained
• Maraschino cherries,if desired
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granluated sugar
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg

Heat oven to 350. Heat margarine in 10" ovenproof skillet or square pan, 9x9x2 inches, in oven until melted. Sprinkle brown sugar over margarine. Arrange pineapple slices in skillet. Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice.

Beat remaining ingredients on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour over fruit in skillet. Bake skillet 45 to 50 minutes, square 50 to 55 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately invert onto heatproof plate. Let skillet ramin over cake a few minutes. Serve warm and, if desired with Whipped Cream.

Blog Special:  Come and stay with us 3/17 and have a piece of Dave's fresh baked Upside Down Cake!  Just mention the word "Pineapple" when you book your room!